2012Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2012Phases of the Moon
Mountain Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Mountain Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 7 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2012 Phases of the Moon   
      Mountain Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
- Dec 31  23:15    Jan  9  00:30    Jan 16  02:08   
 Jan 23  00:39    Jan 30  21:10    Feb  7  14:54    Feb 14  10:04   
 Feb 21  15:35    Feb 29  18:22    Mar  8  02:40    Mar 14  18:25   
 Mar 22  07:37    Mar 30  12:41    Apr  6  12:19    Apr 13  03:50   
 Apr 21  00:18    Apr 29  02:58    May  5  20:35    May 12  14:47   
 May 20  16:47 A  May 28  13:16    Jun  4  04:12 p  Jun 11  03:41   
 Jun 19  08:02    Jun 26  20:30    Jul  3  11:52    Jul 10  18:48   
 Jul 18  21:24    Jul 26  01:56    Aug  1  20:27    Aug  9  11:55   
 Aug 17  08:54    Aug 24  06:54    Aug 31  06:58    Sep  8  06:15   
 Sep 15  19:11    Sep 22  12:41    Sep 29  20:19    Oct  8  00:33   
 Oct 15  05:02    Oct 21  20:32    Oct 29  12:50    Nov  6  17:36   
 Nov 13  15:08 T  Nov 20  07:31    Nov 28  07:46 n  Dec  6  08:32   
 Dec 13  01:42    Dec 19  22:19    Dec 28  03:21   -
An eclipse of the Sun can only occur at New Moon (see: Solar Eclipses for Beginners), while an eclipse of the Moon can only occur at Full Moon (see: Lunar Eclipses for Beginners). In any calendar year there are a minimum of two solar and two lunar eclipses.
If an eclipse of the Sun or Moon takes place on a given date, it is noted by a character next to the date in the table above. Solar eclipses are indicated as: T=Total, A=Annular, H=Hybrid and P=Partial.Lunar eclipses are indicated as: t=Total, p=Partial, and n=Penumbral. 
Phases of the Moon Photo Gallery is an image collection showing the Moon's phases over a complete synodic month.
2012Calendar of Astronomical Events
Mountain Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Mountain Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 7 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
   
      2012Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Mountain Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     MST   Event        (h:m)Jan 02  13:19  Moon at Apogee: 404580 km    02  19:46  Jupiter 5.0°S of Moon    04  00     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    04  18     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98328 AU    05  02:17  Pleiades 2.8°N of Moon    06  00:43  Aldebaran 5.8°S of Moon    06  07:30  Moon at Descending Node     09  00:30  FULL MOON     12  06:04  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    16  00:21  Spica 2.0°N of Moon    16  02:08  LAST QUARTER MOON     16  12:07  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    17  14:28  Moon at Perigee: 369883 km    17  23     Mercury at Aphelion     19  03:59  Antares 4.2°S of Moon    19  11:26  Moon at Ascending Node     23  00:39  NEW MOON     30  07:38  Jupiter 4.5°S of Moon    30  10:42  Moon at Apogee: 404325 km    30  21:10  FIRST QUARTER MOON Feb 01  10:42  Pleiades 3.0°N of Moon    02  09:22  Aldebaran 5.7°S of Moon    02  13:02  Moon at Descending Node     07  02     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     07  14:54  FULL MOON     08  13:43  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    11  11:32  Moon at Perigee: 367920 km    12  05:47  Spica 1.8°N of Moon    12  18:08  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    14  10:04  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  09:35  Antares 4.4°S of Moon    15  13:16  Moon at Ascending Node     15  14     Mars at Aphelion:  1.66598 AU    19  13     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     21  15:35  NEW MOON     25  14:44  Venus 3.3°S of Moon    26  23:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of Moon    27  07:01  Moon at Apogee: 404864 km    28  18:46  Pleiades 3.3°N of Moon    29  15:37  Moon at Descending Node     29  17:45  Aldebaran 5.4°S of Moon    29  18:22  FIRST QUARTER MOON Mar 01  22     Mercury at Perihelion     03  12     Mars at Opposition     05  02     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E    06  23:36  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    08  02:40  FULL MOON     10  03:02  Moon at Perigee: 362401 km    10  13:20  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    11  00:00  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    13  13:41  Moon at Ascending Node     13  15     Venus 3.0°N of Jupiter    13  15:10  Antares 4.7°S of Moon    14  18:25  LAST QUARTER MOON     19  22:15  Vernal Equinox     20  18     Venus at Perihelion     21  12     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     22  07:37  NEW MOON     24  11     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     25  16:57  Jupiter 3.1°S of Moon    25  23:04  Moon at Apogee: 405780 km    26  11:21  Venus 1.8°N of Moon    27  00     Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.0°E    27  01:56  Pleiades 3.5°N of Moon    27  17:19  Moon at Descending Node     28  01:07  Aldebaran 5.2°S of Moon    30  12:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON Apr 03  06:18  Venus 0.4°S of Pleiades    03  10:10  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    06  12:19  FULL MOON     06  23:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    07  07:07  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon    07  09:59  Moon at Perigee: 358314 km    09  17:47  Moon at Ascending Node     09  22:54  Antares 4.9°S of Moon    13  03:50  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  11     Saturn at Opposition     15  19:18  Mars 0.7°N of Regulus    18  10     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.5°W    21  00:18  NEW MOON     21  22     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  06:49  Moon at Apogee: 406422 km    23  08:15  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    23  20:43  Moon at Descending Node     24  07:27  Aldebaran 5.0°S of Moon    24  19:21  Venus 5.7°N of Moon    29  02:58  FIRST QUARTER MOON     30  19:31  Regulus 6.1°N of MoonMay 04  10:26  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    04  11     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    04  15:04  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    05  20:33  Moon at Perigee: 356954 km    05  20:35  FULL MOON     07  02:43  Moon at Ascending Node     07  08:57  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    12  14:47  LAST QUARTER MOON     13  06     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     19  09:13  Moon at Apogee: 406451 km    20  16:47  NEW MOON     20  16:53  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.944    21  02:20  Moon at Descending Node     22  13:52  Venus 4.7°N of Moon    27  04     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     28  02:43  Regulus 6.2°N of Moon    28  13:16  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  22     Mercury at Perihelion     31  20:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    31  22:45  Saturn 6.5°N of MoonJun 03  06:19  Moon at Perigee: 358483 km    03  13:38  Moon at Ascending Node     03  19:51  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    04  04:03  Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.370    04  04:12  FULL MOON     05  18     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     11  02:30  Jupiter 4.7°S of Pleiades    11  03:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  18:24  Moon at Apogee: 405791 km    16  20:34  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    17  01:23  Jupiter 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    17  08:43  Moon at Descending Node     17  17:47  Venus 2.1°S of Moon    19  08:02  NEW MOON     20  10:50  Mercury 4.9°S of Pollux    20  16:08  Summer Solstice     21  03:33  Venus 2.2°N of Aldebaran    24  08:18  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    26  08:02  Mars 5.8°N of Moon    26  20:30  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  04:04  Spica 1.4°N of Moon    28  05:40  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon    30  19     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.7°E    30  22:45  Moon at Ascending Node 
Date     MST   Event        (h:m)Jul 01  01     Venus 4.8°S of Jupiter    01  05:42  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    01  11:01  Moon at Perigee: 362363 km    02  07:57  Mercury 1.6°S of Beehive    03  11:52  FULL MOON     04  21     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01668 AU    08  21:13  Venus 0.9°N of Aldebaran    10  18:48  LAST QUARTER MOON     11  03     Venus at Aphelion     11  21     Mercury at Aphelion     13  09:47  Moon at Apogee: 404783 km    14  03:34  Pleiades 3.7°N of Moon    14  13:55  Moon at Descending Node     14  20:02  Jupiter 0.5°S of Moon: Occn.    15  02:40  Aldebaran 4.9°S of Moon    15  08:29  Venus 3.8°S of Moon    18  21:24  NEW MOON     21  13:52  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    24  15:07  Mars 4.2°N of Moon    25  09:43  Spica 1.2°N of Moon    25  12:29  Saturn 6.0°N of Moon    26  01:56  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  13     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    28  03:34  Moon at Ascending Node     28  13     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     28  13:21  Antares 5.2°S of Moon    29  01:30  Moon at Perigee: 367318 km    29  04:45  Jupiter 4.6°N of AldebaranAug 01  20:27  FULL MOON     02  06:36  Saturn 4.0°N of Spica    09  11:55  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  03:52  Moon at Apogee: 404125 km    10  11:12  Pleiades 3.9°N of Moon    10  17:04  Moon at Descending Node     11  10:25  Aldebaran 4.8°S of Moon    11  13:25  Jupiter 0.1°N of Moon: Occn.    12  05     Perseid Meteor Shower    13  12:41  Venus 0.6°S of Moon: Occn.    13  15:45  Mars 1.6°N of Spica    15  03     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W    15  11     Mars 2.7°S of Saturn    15  22:06  Mercury 3.6°N of Moon    16  05     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.7°W    17  08:55  NEW MOON     18  08:33  Mercury 2.1°S of Beehive    21  15:04  Spica 1.0°N of Moon    21  20:43  Saturn 5.5°N of Moon    22  00:50  Mars 2.3°N of Moon    23  12:39  Moon at Perigee: 369731 km    24  04     Neptune at Opposition     24  04:38  Moon at Ascending Node     24  06:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON     24  19:02  Antares 5.4°S of Moon    24  21     Mercury at Perihelion     31  06:58  FULL MOON Sep 06  19:08  Moon at Descending Node     06  23:00  Moon at Apogee: 404296 km    07  18:23  Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon    08  03:59  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.    08  06:15  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  06     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     12  10:09  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    13  01:52  Venus 2.6°S of Beehive    14  05:51  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    15  19:11  NEW MOON     17  22:05  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    18  07:45  Saturn 5.0°N of Moon    18  19:52  Moon at Perigee: 365749 km    19  13:36  Mars 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.    20  05:54  Moon at Ascending Node     21  00:30  Antares 5.6°S of Moon    22  07:49  Autumnal Equinox     22  12:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON     29  00     Uranus at Opposition     29  20:19  FULL MOON Oct 01  03:56  Mercury 1.5°N of Spica    02  20:35  Venus 0.1°S of Regulus    03  22:15  Moon at Descending Node     04  17:43  Moon at Apogee: 405162 km    05  01     Mercury 3.2°S of Saturn    05  01:58  Aldebaran 4.3°S of Moon    05  13:50  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    08  00:33  LAST QUARTER MOON     11  15:52  Regulus 6.0°N of Moon    12  12:10  Venus 6.3°N of Moon    15  05:02  NEW MOON     16  18:02  Moon at Perigee: 360673 km    16  18:43  Mercury 1.3°S of Moon    17  11:27  Moon at Ascending Node     18  06:06  Mars 2.0°S of Moon    18  07:50  Antares 5.8°S of Moon    20  13:07  Mars 3.5°N of Antares    20  21     Orionid Meteor Shower    21  20:32  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  01     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     26  15     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.1°E    29  12:50  FULL MOON     31  03:36  Moon at Descending Node     31  11     Venus at Perihelion Nov 01  08:30  Moon at Apogee: 406050 km    01  08:49  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    01  17:58  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    04  22     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  07:32  Mercury 3.0°N of Antares    06  17:36  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  01:13  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    11  10:52  Venus 5.3°N of Moon    11  18:42  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    11  21     N Taurid Meteor Shower    13  15:08  NEW MOON     13  15:12  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.050    13  21:37  Moon at Ascending Node     14  03:21  Moon at Perigee: 357361 km    16  02:40  Mars 4.0°S of Moon    16  18:22  Venus 3.6°N of Spica    17  03     Leonid Meteor Shower    17  09     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     20  07:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  20     Mercury at Perihelion     26  22     Venus 0.5°S of Saturn    27  10:05  Moon at Descending Node     28  07:33  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.915    28  07:46  FULL MOON     28  12:35  Moon at Apogee: 406366 km    28  15:06  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    28  17:46  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.Dec 02  18     Jupiter at Opposition     04  16     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.6°W    05  08:35  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    06  08:32  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  02     Mercury 6.3°S of Venus    09  05:04  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    10  05:46  Saturn 4.0°N of Moon    11  06:48  Venus 1.6°N of Moon    11  08:57  Moon at Ascending Node     11  17:44  Mercury 1.1°N of Moon: Occn.    12  16:14  Moon at Perigee: 357074 km    12  22:18  Jupiter 4.7°N of Aldebaran    13  01:42  NEW MOON     13  16     Geminid Meteor Shower    18  02:57  Mercury 5.2°N of Antares    19  22:19  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  04:12  Winter Solstice     22  01     Ursid Meteor Shower    23  20:19  Venus 5.5°N of Antares    24  15:27  Moon at Descending Node     25  14:19  Moon at Apogee: 406101 km    25  17:02  Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    25  21:23  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    28  03:21  FULL MOON     

 Terms Used in Astronomical Events Calendar 
  • Perihelion - instant when a planet is closest to the Sun
  • Aphelion - instant when a planet is furthest from the Sun
  • Perigee - instant when the Moon is closest to Earth
  • Apogee - instant when the Moon is furthest from Earth
  • Inferior Conjunction - instant when a planet (Mercury or Venus) passes between Earth and the Sun
  • Superior Conjunction - instant when a planet (Mercury or Venus) passes on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth 
  • Greatest Elongation - the maximum angular separation between the Sun and the planet (Mercury or Venus) as seen from Earth 
     - during eastern elongation (E), the planet appears as an evening star; 
     - during western elongation (W), the planet appears as a morning star
  • Opposition - instant when a planet appears opposite the Sun as seen from Earth
  • Conjunction - instant when a planet appears closest the Sun as seen from Earth
  • Occultation - the Moon occults or eclipses a star or planet
  • Ascending Node - point where the Moon crosses from the southern to northern portion of its orbit
  • Descending Node - point where the Moon crosses from the northern to the southern portion of its orbit

  • Aldebaran - bright star in the constellation Taurus
  • Pollux - bright star in the constellation Gemini
  • Regulus - bright star in the constellation Leo
  • Spica - bright star in the constellation Virgo
  • Antares - bright star in the constellation Scorpius
  • Pleiades - bright star cluster in the constellation Taurus
  • Beehive - bright star cluster in the constellation Cancer
Calendars of Astronomical Events: 2011 to 2020
The Americas
Below are links to calendars of astronomical events from 2011 to 2020 for seven time zones in the Americas. 
Choose a time zone and click on a year to get a calendar of astronomical events for that year.
   Calendars of Astronomical Events - The Americas
   AST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   EST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   CST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   MST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   PST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   AKST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   HST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
        Time Zones Abbreviations
        • AST = Atlantic Standard Time (= GMT - 4 hours)
        • EST = Eastern Standard Time (= GMT - 5 hours)
        • CST = Central Standard Time (= GMT - 6 hours)
        • MST = Mountain Standard Time (= GMT - 7 hours)
        • PST = Pacific Standard Time (= GMT - 8 hours)
        • AKST = Alaskan Standard Time (= GMT - 9 hours)
        • HST = Hawaiian Standard Time (= GMT - 10 hours)
           (where GMT = Greenwich Mean Time)
A time zone may have a different name in different countries. Note the difference in hours between a given time zone and Greenwich Mean Time to help in identification.
For other years and other time zones, visit: Calendars of Astronomical Events.
 
Accuracy of the Astronomical Events Calendars
The goal of the Astronomical Events Calendars is to present a wide range of solar system phenomena with reasonable accuracy. In general, events listed to the nearest hour are accurate to ± 30 minutes.Events listed with a precision in hours and minutes (i.e., hh:mm) are typically accurate to ± 5 minutes or less.  
The following table gives a more detailed breakdown of the accuracy of times for various astronomical events.
Accuracy of the Astronomical Events Calendars
 Solstice/Equinox (Earth)  ± 0.5 minute 
 Aphelion/Perihelion (Earth)  ± 30 minutes;  ± 0.00001 AU 
 Solar and Lunar Eclipses   ± 0.5 minute 
 Phases of the Moon  ± 0.5 minute 
 Moon at Nodes  ± 2 minutes 
 Apogee/Perigee of Moon  ± 5 minutes; ± 5 kilometers 
 Conjunctions of Moon with Star or Planet  ± 10 minutes 
 Conjunctions of Planet with Planet  ± 3 hours 
 Inferior/Superior Conjunctions (Mercury & Venus)  ± 30 minutes 
 Greatest Elongation (Mercury & Venus)  ± 30 minutes 
 Opposition/Conjunction (Outer Planets)  ± 3 hours 
 Aphelion/Perihelion of Planets  ± 30 minutes 

Acknowledgements
All calculations are by Fred Espenak and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy. Algorithms used in predicting many of the astronomical events are based on Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus (Willmann-Bell Inc. Richmond 1998). 
Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by the acknowledgment: 

Return to: Calendars of Astronomical Events
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